Method and apparatus for recognizing handwritten inputs in a computerized teaching system

Abstract

A pen-based teaching system recognizes handwritten input. The system comprises a display simulating a sheet of paper, and a stylus simulating a pen. The system uses handwriting recognition to interact with the student, so that the student enters input into the system as though it were a piece of scratch paper.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented teaching system, comprising: (a) a display screen covered by a touch sensitive surface; and   (b) a processing circuit, coupled to the display screen and touch sensitive surface, for recording movements of a pointing member as the pointing member traces across the surface, for recognizing the recorded movements of the pointing member across the surface as handwritten input, for interpreting the handwritten input as characters, numbers and commands, and for displaying the recorded movements of the pointing element on the display screen, the processing circuit further comprising instructional means for interpreting lesson scripts to generate a lesson sequence for teaching mental skills, for displaying the lesson sequence on the display screen, and for recognizing a student's response to the lesson sequence from the characters, numbers and commands.   
     
     
       2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the instructional means further comprises guidance means for animating a problem-solving example in the lesson sequence. 
     
     
       3. The invention as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the instructional means further comprises feedback indication means for indicating the correctness of the student's response immediately upon interpreting the characters, numbers and commands. 
     
     
       4. The invention as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the instructional means further comprises means for displaying additional instruction material on the display screen when the student's response is incorrect. 
     
     
       5. The invention as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the instructional means further comprises means for interpreting the lesson scripts to determine an operation of the lesson sequence. 
     
     
       6. The invention as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the instructional means further comprises voice synthesis means for converting text in the lesson scripts into speech. 
     
     
       7. The invention as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the instructional means further comprises means for tracking the student's status and progress. 
     
     
       8. The invention as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the instructional means further comprises means for simultaneously displaying information on the display screen and an external monitor attached to the system. 
     
     
       9. The invention as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the instructional means further comprises means for displaying a problem to be solved by the student on the display, wherein the display screen is logically divided into "solve" and "think" subareas, and the problem is displayed in the "solve" subarea. 
     
     
       10. The invention as set forth in claim 9 above, wherein the instructional means further comprises means for displaying a solution to the problem in the "think" subarea of the display screen, wherein the solution comprises one or more problem solving steps displayed sequentially. 
     
     
       11. A computer-implemented teaching method, comprising the steps of: (a) interpreting lesson scripts to generate a lesson sequence for teaching mental skills;   (b) displaying the lesson sequence on a display screen covered by a touch sensitive surface;   (c) recording movements of a pointing member in a memory as the pointing member traces across the surface;   (d) displaying the recorded movements of the pointing member on the display screen;   (e) recognizing the recorded movements of the pointing member as handwritten input and interpreting the handwritten input as characters, numbers and commands; and   (f) recognizing a student's response to the lesson sequence from the characters, numbers and commands.   
     
     
       12. The invention as set forth in claim 11 above, further comprising the step of animating a problem-solving example in the lesson sequence. 
     
     
       13. The invention as set forth in claim 11 above, further comprising the step of indicating the correctness of the student's response immediately upon recognition of the characters, numbers and commands. 
     
     
       14. The invention as set forth in claim 11 above, further comprising the step of displaying additional instruction material on the display screen when the student's response is incorrect. 
     
     
       15. The invention as set forth in claim 11 above, further comprising the step of interpreting the lesson scripts to determine an operation of the lesson sequence. 
     
     
       16. The invention as set forth in claim 11 above, further comprising the step of converting text in the lesson scripts into speech. 
     
     
       17. The invention as set forth in claim 11 above, further comprising the step of tracking the student's status and progress. 
     
     
       18. The invention as set forth in claim 11 above, further comprising the step of simultaneously displaying information on the display screen and an external monitor attached to the system. 
     
     
       19. The invention as set forth in claim 11 above, further comprising the step of displaying a problem to be solved by the student on the display screen, wherein the display screen is logically divided into "solve" and "think" subareas, and the problem is displayed in the "solve" subarea. 
     
     
       20. The invention as set forth in claim 11 above, further comprising the step of displaying a solution to the problem in the "think" subarea of the display screen, wherein the solution comprises one or more problem solving steps displayed sequentially. 
     
     
       21. A computer-implemented teaching method, comprising the steps of: (a) displaying a lesson sequence on a display screen covered by a touch sensitive surface, wherein the lesson sequence comprises a problem to be solved by the student on the display, the display screen is logically divided into "solve" and "think" subareas, and the problem is displayed in the "solve" subarea;   (b) recording movements of a pointing member in a memory as the pointing member traces across the surface;   (c) displaying the recorded movements of the pointing member on the display screen;   (d) recognizing the recorded movements of the pointing member as handwritten input and interpreting the handwritten input as characters, numbers and commands; and   (e) recognizing a student's response to the lesson sequence from the characters, numbers and commands.   
     
     
       22. The invention as set forth in claim 21 above, further comprising the step of displaying a solution to the problem in the "think" subarea of the display screen, wherein the solution comprises one or more problem solving steps displayed sequentially. 
     
     
       23. A computer-implemented teaching system, comprising: (a) a display screen covered by a touch sensitive surface; and   (b) a processing circuit, coupled to the display screen and touch sensitive surface, for recording movements of a pointing member as the pointing member traces across the surface, for recognizing the recorded movements of the pointing member across the surface as handwritten input, for interpreting the handwritten input as characters, numbers and commands, and for displaying the recorded movements of the pointing element on the display screen, the processing circuit further comprising instructional means for displaying a lesson sequence on the display screen, wherein the lesson comprises a problem to be solved by the student on the display, the display screen is logically divided into "solve" and "think" subareas, and the problem is displayed in the "solve" subarea.   
     
     
       24. The invention as set forth in claim 23 above, wherein the instructional means further comprises means for displaying a solution to the problem in the "think" subarea of the display screen, wherein the solution comprises one or more problem solving steps displayed sequentially.